Josh Abbott Band, ‘I’ll Sing About Mine’ – Song Review

Josh Abbott Band‘s new release to radio isn’t as much of a single as it is a statement. The signature track from his ‘Small Town Family Dream‘ album paints Abbott as a champion of outlaw country or a cantankerous whiner envious of greener grass, depending on one’s personal view of music coming out of Nashville.

It was a mistake to release this song to radio, even just Texas radio. Nothing brands a band like sour grapes, which is how some will perceive JAB’s clever blast of artists with far more fans than they have. Ironically, one of the artists he takes a shot at recorded a similar song — Eric Church with ‘Lotta Boot Left to Fill’ — but wisely left it as an album cut on ‘Carolina.’

“Because tractors ain’t sexy, and workin’ is hard / For small town people like me / And the radio’s full of rich folks singing / ‘Bout the places they’ve never seen / I ain’t saying that their lives ain’t hard / I’d love to hear about it sometime / Let them sing about their own life / And I’ll sing about mine,” Abbott sings during the chorus to ‘I’ll Sing About Mine.’

It’s a catchy hook and there is genuine sentiment, but songs that rely on negativity are a tough sell to audiences wider than an artist’s own diehard fanbase. The group will bring in a few more fans with ‘I’ll Sing About Mine,’ but the single compromises bigger opportunities in the future. With a few well-written lines in the second verse, Abbott paints everyone in Nashville under one umbrella.

“When you talk about the Dairy Queen (as Alan Jackson, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and others have done) / Pickup trucks (just about everyone) and Springsteen (Church) / Make the place I love sound like a bad cartoon,” he sings.

Before that, it’s: “I’m not complaining / Running my mouth like an old man.”

Early in the song, Abbott shows a nuanced understanding of the country life, proving he is capable of being a truly creative representative of small town America. ‘Small Town Family Dream’ has many fine moments worthy of airplay. ‘I’ll Sing About Mine’ isn’t one of them.

Listen to Josh Abbott Band, ‘I’ll Sing About Mine’

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